Major Seaports in Nigeria and Their Locations

 

Seaports are ports located close to the sea where sea vessels, mainly ships bring in goods from other countries into Nigeria and export Nigerian goods to other countries too. Nigerian sea ports are managed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). They serves as the essential spots with facilities where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land.

Nigerian Seaports are mainly located in Southern Nigeria due to the presence of the Atlantic Ocean which serves as the medium where goods are mainly transported to and from Nigeria.

Seaports in Nigeria are located in the southern part of the country; more specifically states that shares border with the Atlantic Ocean. They serve as depot with facilities where ship can dock and transfer cargo and people to or from land. They are the ports where goods are transported into and from the country. These ports are 6 in number and are been operated and regulated by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).

These Nigerian seaports include the Lagos Port Complex, Tin Can Island Port, Rivers Port Complex, Delta Port, Calabar Port and the Onne Port. Northern Nigeria has no seaports because of its lack of closeness to any large water body that is very important in world trade. With that in mind, let us look at the various seaports in Nigeria below.

 

List of Major Seaports in Nigeria and Their Locations

1. Lagos Port Complex – Lagas State

 

So, if you are someone interested or involved in international or domestic trade that requires the use of sea transport, find more information about the top seaports in Nigeria.

1. Lagos Port Complex – Lagas State

Also referred to as the Apapa Quays, the Lagos port complex is registered as an ISPS certified Port facility with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

It is located in Lagos, one of the richest states in Nigeria, and is the first and largest seaport in Nigeria.

The port was built to the Nigerian Ports Authority’s specifications and served as the country’s primary seaport.

It was established in 1913, long before Nigeria’s northern and southern protectorates were combined.

The Port features conventional cargo handling equipment and amenities to ensure the safety and well-being of all employees.

One of the best aspects of the port is that it is accessible by all kinds of transportation in Nigeria. As a result of this feature, it is one of the largest seaports in Nigeria.

Until 2006, when the port’s terminals were turned up to private companies, the port’s operations were managed by the government.

AP Moller Terminal Ltd. (APMT), ENL Consortium Ltd. (ENL), Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd. (ABTL), and other companies are among them.

The Lagos port complex is now well renowned for its improved handling of heavy goods, thanks to its massive four-wheeled gates that tower eight meters above ground level.

This, of course, gives the port an advantage.

The Lagos port complex also includes 5 terminals with qualified experts, logistics hubs, and 8 jetties positioned across the port.

The security of the Port is clearly a priority, as you will see guards practically wherever you go while in the Port.

CCTV cameras are also accessible to catch all of the port’s everyday operations.

 

2. Tin Can Island Port – Lagos State

Also located in Lagos, exactly 7 kilometers northwest of the Lagos port complex is the Tin Can Island Port.

It was established in 1977 to meet the ever-growing need for international and foreign trade which involves the movement of goods from Nigeria to other parts of the world.

Most of these goods were majorly oil products because it was a time when oil production and sales were booming all around the world.

All the boost in oil activities and operations resulted in the congestion of the Lagos Port Complex.

In order to cushion this effect, The Tin Can Island Port was built to help decongest the already overcrowded and overwhelmed Lagos port complex.

As at 1977, the port was commissioned with a total land area of over 73 hectares and a capacity to handle up to 16 vessels.

The Tin Can Island Port was a merger of the Roro and the Tin Can Island Port to become what we know today.

In 2006, the Nigerian Ports Authority through the adopted Land Lord model of the Federal Government confessed 5 terminals also to private investors.

This concession resulted in the massive expansion, improved production and operations efficiency evidenced through the increase in the Average berth occupancy rate from 75%-83% today.

3. Calabar Port Complex – Cross River State

Before its operations were taken over by the government in 1969, the Calabar Port was a historic trade center for the Eastern and Northern Nigerian states with foreign countries before and during the colonial years.

As one of the major seaports in Nigeria, it was initially operated by private individuals and companies until it was taken over by the Nigerian Port Authority.

During the third national development plan, the Calabar Port was revamped and modernized to meet the standards of the Nigerian Ports authority from 1975.

After completing the rehabilitation, the new Calabar Port was commissioned in 1979 standing over 84km of land.

The Calabar Port is mainly used for the transportation of petroleum products from Calabar and its neighboring Akwa-Ibom state.

The Port has features such as the Old Port, the New Port and the Dockyard; and has jurisdiction over Crude Oil Terminals at Antan, Odudu, Yoho, QuaIboe; and other jetties at NIWA, McIver, NNPC, ALSCON, Dozzy, Northwest.

The three Terminals of Calabar Port are operated by: ECM Terminal Ltd, INTELS Nigeria Ltd and Shoreline Logistics Nigeria Limited.

 

4. Rivers Ports Authority – Cross River State

The Port lies along the Bonny River and is located in the Niger Delta, otherwise called the Rivers Port Complex. It began in a modest way, developing from one berth for coal export; to four berths to deal with a cargo blend of import/export stock.

It is obvious that it is one of the major seaports in Nigeria.

By and large, the Port, which has a quay length of 1,259 meters, is capable of accommodating eight modern maritime vessels loading and unloading at the same time.

The Port is also equipped with 16 mass oil storage tanks with a capacity of 3,048 tons.

There is a conveyor belt and a pier that supports the structure, as well as seven stacking areas with a total area of 27,407.15 square meters and four (4) Arcon sheds with a total area of 12,486.15 square meters.

A Dockyard Manager is in charge of the dockyard, which includes electrical, maritime, and design work.

The Rivers Port is a multipurpose port that serves as the ‘Mother-Port’ to a few jetties that surround her like annexes, providing pilotage and towage services, as well as supplying for several markets, including Dry, Liquid, and General cargo exchanges.

It is important to note that the Port was purposefully constructed in one of the world’s largest unrefined petroleum production locations, and that this advantageous location has resulted in the tanker market being visible at the Federal Ocean Terminal via the Bonny Fairway Buoy.

5. Delta Port – Delta State

The stated mission of the Delta Ports as one of the Nigerian seaports is to provide a formidable platform for shipping activities to thrive through strategic partnership with the stakeholders. 

The Delta port is one of the major domestic seaports in Nigeria as they only move goods within the water-locked states in Nigeria.

They are specifically designed to transport cargoes in short distances to states like  Anambra, IMO, Enugu, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Ondo, Benefit and so on.

Though the port is yet to move cargoes into any international waters, it is one port that is slated for the future due to its untapped potential.

The Delta port has seen an improvement in its operations in recent years as it is expected to move cargoes of gas owned by the EGTL to other parts of the country for consumption.

The Delta port is well secured as it is manned by the security forces of the Federation.

This helps the smooth operation of the port which is centered of swift identification, documentation, and excellent delivery of cargoes.

 

6. Onne Port – Cross River State

Onne Port is one of the major seaports in Nigeria and is also one of the largest oil and gas free zone in the world.

This makes the port easily support the oil and gas production and exploration operations in Nigeria.

It specifically functions as a transportation hub for oil and gas products with easy access to most petroleum fields in West Africa.

As said earlier, the majority of their operations involve oil and gas, and their operations include general cargoes, bulk cargoes (dry and wet), oil well equipment, containerized cargoes, and other logistics.

The port covers a total land area of a whopping 2,538 hectares of land and is set up with state-of-the-art modern facilities, machinery, and equipment to help in the smooth operation of the port.

The port also invites customers or companies who wish to partner with the port in the maritime business. Coupled with its largest land area, it also has the biggest mobile cranes in the whole of Africa.

The port is also well protected with policemen and also private guards to provide maximum security for their clients’ cargoes.

 

Map of Seaports in Nigeria Showing Their Locations

Some major Questions about Seaports in Nigeria

The following are common questions that pop up when the topic of sea ports arises:

 
How many seaports are in Nigeria?

According to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the country has six seaports: Apapa and Tin Can in Lagos, the Onne and Port-Harcourt ports in Rivers State, the Warri Port, and the Calabar Port. But, by many accounts, only the Lagos ports are operating anywhere near full capacity.

What is the busiest seaport in Nigeria?

Nigeria’s largest and busiest port complex is Apapa Port Complex, popularly known as the Lagos Port Complex.

Is Port Harcourt a seaport?

The Port of Port Harcourt, often known as PH Port, is a port complex in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt, in the state of Rivers. The port, which was opened in 1913, can handle almost any form of cargo.

 

How many ports are in Africa?

Africa has over a hundred port facilities, a few of which handle 6% of the worldwide water-borne cargo traffic and about 3% of the world’s container traffic.

 
Which is the biggest seaport in Africa?

The Port of Durban, often known as Durban Harbour, is Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest and busiest maritime terminal. Each year, it transports up to 31.4 million tons of freight.

This article has been able to highlight the major importance of all seaports in Nigeria and their locations.

These ports play such a great role in the domestic and international economy.

Nigerian seaports generate more than a million jobs directly or indirectly to Nigerians. According to the Nigerian ports Authority, seaports contribute over N143 billion to the Federal Reserve’s.

Each of these ports has different uses and features that distinguish one from the other. So, if you plan to do any form of trading that requires Ocean transportation, this article is just for you.

Do well to share the article to enlighten others on your numerous social media accounts.